Every high school athlete knows that one day, playing for the Eagles will eventually come to an end. Every year, before one of a team’s games or matches, the team celebrates the seniors that have played for them for years. 

The girls swim team’s Senior Night was celebrated on Jan. 18, before their tri-meet against Francis Howell Central and Holt, which they would go on to win, collecting 136 points, with Francis Howell trailing with 100 points, and Holt in last with 91 points.

For the Senior Night ceremony, the seniors walked in between both pools until they met up with Hannah Kerr, their coach. Then, the seniors walk back, greeted by ducking under all of their teammates’ arms.

Each senior has a different story. Leah Kaler is one of them, and she explains her experience on Senior Night.

“Senior Night was really fun and I had been looking forward to it for a long time,” Kaler said. “It was so nice to celebrate all of the hard work we’ve put in through these last four years.”

Senior Night can also be emotional for some students, transitioning to the future. Senior Leilani Green talks about what she will miss from high school swimming.

“One thing I will definitely miss from high school swimming is the relationships I’ve built with my teammates and my coaches, and I hope I can still keep those,” Green said. 

As upperclassmen, student-athletes look towards the future, whether that includes playing collegiately or not, they at least know that they have a game, meet, or match dedicated to them. In this case, five Seniors got the chance to have one last celebration with their team.

“While it is a sport, the relationships are much more important to me than athletic success,” Kaler said.